The present invention relates generally to an article of footwear and, more particularly, to configurations of strands forming lace receiving loops.
Lace receiving elements of footwear may be subjected to significant loading, particularly in athletic footwear. Accordingly, various structures are used to reinforce the lacing region of footwear as well as the lace receiving elements themselves. For example, in some cases, lacing eyelets may include reinforcing grommets formed of metal or hard plastic. In addition, the upper of the article of footwear may include a second layer of material in the area through which the laces are threaded. In some cases, lace receiving structures may extend down the sides of the footwear and may be secured to the sole structure in order to provide reinforcement to the footwear and stability to the wearer. For example, in some cases, strands or wires have been used to form loops forming the lace receiving elements. These strands or wires may extend under the foot between the upper and the sole structure, and thus, may provide a stirrup-like structure. Such wires may provide reinforcement with minimal weight, and may allow the rest of the upper to be constructed of lighter weight and/or breathable material, while maintaining the strength and stability of the footwear.
It is desirable to secure such lace receiving wires to relatively stable structures of the footwear. The present disclosure is directed to improvements in existing lace receiving systems, including provisions for securing lace receiving strands.